SkYBlue280Z Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 yeah I want to exchange my 280 front bumper with the smaller 240 one, so the only thing i would have to do is just take it off, but the 240 and just make a few drill holes and its done? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja Posted October 10, 2007 Author Share Posted October 10, 2007 yeah I want to exchange my 280 front bumper with the smaller 240 one, so the only thing i would have to do is just take it off, but the 240 and just make a few drill holes and its done? I removed the bumper shocks and all the 280Z brackets, removes an amazing amount of weight. I used a fiberglass 240Z bumper and fabricated my own brackets. Not sure if a 240Z bumper would hook up to the stock 280Z shock mounts but it would stick ot pretty far unless you removed the pressure for the shocks and pushed them in. Still don't know how it would look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja Posted October 10, 2007 Author Share Posted October 10, 2007 Did you check out CygnusX1's thread about the bumper swap? Just type "bumper swap" in the search window. The coolest one I've seen so far... Those look like the Euro bumpers, very nice, very expensive, LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedNeckZ Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Yes, it is an easy swap to do. You have to remove all of the 280Z parts to include the shocks. Remove the old bumper first and then reach up into the area where the shocks mount into the 280Z and remove all three bolt (on each side) to remove them (you may need to lower the gas tank on one side a small distance to be able to reach the bolts). Then take the shocks out and get rid of them. The next problem you have to decide on is if you want to make special mount brackets or use the 240Z brackets. I used the 240Z brackets. I welded (MIG) the brackets to the body. I first used jack stands to hold the bumper in place while I marked the location of the mounts and for the hole in the fender for the mounting point at the other end of the bumper. I then weld the brackets in place and drilled the required holes in the body. Always measure twice before doing any work. I then mounted the new bumper to the mounts and secured it down. One thing I did was add some rubber strips or small rubber blocks to the end caps, where it mounts thru the bolt holes (needed to keep the rain or water out). It went together quick and easy. The hardest part of the whole swap was getting the shock bolts out. It made the car look a whole lot better. Had it done and complete in a few hours. I also stripped off the chrome and painted the bumper to match the car. If I can find the pictures of it, I will try to post a few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja Posted October 10, 2007 Author Share Posted October 10, 2007 Yes, it is an easy swap to do. You have to remove all of the 280Z parts to include the shocks. Remove the old bumper first and then reach up into the area where the shocks mount into the 280Z and remove all three bolt (on each side) to remove them (you may need to lower the gas tank on one side a small distance to be able to reach the bolts). Then take the shocks out and get rid of them. The next problem you have to decide on is if you want to make special mount brackets or use the 240Z brackets. I used the 240Z brackets. I welded (MIG) the brackets to the body. I first used jack stands to hold the bumper in place while I marked the location of the mounts and for the hole in the fender for the mounting point at the other end of the bumper. I then weld the brackets in place and drilled the required holes in the body. Always measure twice before doing any work. I then mounted the new bumper to the mounts and secured it down. One thing I did was add some rubber strips or small rubber blocks to the end caps, where it mounts thru the bolt holes (needed to keep the rain or water out). It went together quick and easy. The hardest part of the whole swap was getting the shock bolts out. It made the car look a whole lot better. Had it done and complete in a few hours. I also stripped off the chrome and painted the bumper to match the car. If I can find the pictures of it, I will try to post a few. Thanks. The stock hardware is totally gone on my car. I pulled it all when I swapped the gas tank for the LT1 conversion wasn't that tough once the tank was removed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja Posted October 24, 2007 Author Share Posted October 24, 2007 Thanks to everyone for the input on this. My MSA fiberglass bumper was on my porch when I got home last night, its going to fit perfectly. I will say it is much better quality than the front one I got from Showcars Bodyparts. It has brackets built in to bolt to a 240Z which the Showcar one didn't. However it is pretty thin fiberglass, I may add some glass to the inside for more a little more rigidity. There is also seams on the corners that will need finishing and of course I'll paint it to match the front bumper. I did decide to get the mega-dollar mounting hardware from http://store.datsunspirit.com/index....PROD&ProdID=67 . I could have made brackets myself but I have enough projects going at the same time now. Plus these will simply bolt on and there are some compound bends to these bracket I just don't want to mess with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cegrover Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Hi Deja: Your front bumper looks great in the photos on your web site. That's where I'm headed with my '75 280Z stroker project. Have you changed the rear bumper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 Hi Deja: Your front bumper looks great in the photos on your web site. That's where I'm headed with my '75 280Z stroker project. Have you changed the rear bumper? Yes I did I got one from MSA. I also bought some 240Z to 280Z rear bumper mounting brackets from Datsun Spirit. Technically, the brackets are for European 260Z/Japanese A-S30/S31 models. These brackets bolt to the mounting holes in the valance just like a 240Z bumper would. Unfortunately they don't exactly line up with the MSA bumper mounting brackets. I had to make new brackets for the MSA rear bumper. I used a Dremel to cut off the MSA brackets, found some steel at Home Depot in the decking bracket section the same thickness as the MSA ones, bent them in a Z shape at both ends and then glassed them in. The brackets are short enough so the bumper sits only about 1/2" from the rear valance panel. The 240Z mounting tabs on the bumper are too far forward to use unless you drill through the fender on the 280Z. Since the 280Z fender is a double wall fender/inner fender I decided to use the stock 280Z fender mounting nut which is about 8" toward the rear from the 240Z tab. The 280Z mounting nut does sit below the bumper a little but not much. I made new the fender mount side tabs and glassed them in after cutting out the 240Z tabs. I put a piece of 1/8" rubber under the tabs to protect the body. Even though the Datsun Spirit brackets didn't fit perfectly I'm glad I didn't attempt to make them. It could be done but would have been a major effort with the equipment I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chiropractor Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Dale, that car's looking great! -for others reading on this thread, don't miss the custom taillight panel and the trick side marker lights on this car as well. Very cool touches. I used the same bumper brackets from Datsun Spirit for my CF bumper conversion, but bent the brackets to match the mounts on the bumper, as I do not have Deja's fiberglassing skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 Thanks man. I don't know about skill, I think its more like persistence! You know, make a big block of fiberglass and spend hours sanding it into shape, LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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